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Association and society statutes
24th January 1841, Sunday, afternoon
[1] As for societies, it has already been sufficiently said in the Gospel that wherever two or three are gathered in My Name, I am always in their midst. Therefore it is also not unseemly when people meet in societies in order to achieve something useful with My assistance.
[2] But where there is any society, it is natural that, depending on the purpose of the society, relations corresponding to this purpose must prevail among it, and that these relations are to be observed by every member of the society as laws or, as you like to say, as statutes(*1).
[3] The question therefore arises as to who should draft or prescribe the laws or statutes. – The most intelligent, insightful and experienced man should be elected from the society; and this "Leader" elected in this way should then choose three to seven "advisors" or "councilors" to assist him, depending on the circumstances of the society's purpose. And when such a "board" has been formed, then the "laws" or "statutes" shall be drafted by this board, which correspond to the purpose, the useful realization of which the society has set itself.
[4] These statutes should then be read and explained precisely and clearly to every member wishing to join. And then no member joining should have any objection; but, if it finds the statutes expedient, it may join, but on the contrary, it may stay away at it’s own discretion. And nothing should be changed in the statutes because of the acquisition of one or the other member, but, as they were originally given, they should continue to exist as long as the association of such a society lasts.
[5] For if, as is usually the case, according to the circumstances of the matter and the members wishing to join, such statutes – once validly drafted – soon suffer an amendment here, soon there, such amendments only give a telling proof that such a society rests on weak and unreliable feet, which even a slight gust of wind causes to totter. For new laws make the existing ones imperfect. And wherever a new law has to support an earlier one in a certain way, this is a sign that the earlier law is sick, infirm and not of much use – from where it then comes that through such innovations, a social institution or a purposeless association sinks more and more into disrepute, finally dissolves completely and with it also the intended good cause perishes.
[6] Therefore, this is also the best basic law for the formation of any useful society, that above all an insightful and well-experienced man is elected as the head, but he then immediately has the right, as indicated above, to choose helpers by his side.
[7] If this is observed and handled in the formation of a society, then the society will resemble a human being in whom the heart, which feels, senses and orders the whole process of life, is also located in the center of the whole organism and first provides the body surrounding it with the necessary senses and maintains them as it’s "councils", so to speak, by which constitution the whole organism of the human being and through it the human being himself, are well preserved.
[8] But how would man continue to exist, if in his organism new arrangements would be made continuously! Would not every hand, every finger want to be ears, eyes, mouth and noses? And if this, immediately yielding and granting everything, were possible – what would the body of man soon look like, since one would discover nothing but hearts, eyes, ears, noses and mouths on him!
[9] Behold, as it is with man in this respect, whose members all make up a well-ordered society among themselves, it should likewise be carefully observed by every society already formed or yet to be formed!
[10] However, as far as the purely worldly societies are concerned, the creation or existence of which has no other than merely entertaining purposes, I find no other law for such societies than the
only one that they should neither arise nor exist. But where they exist, they should not cause offense and at least correspond to such a discipline that their example does not attract people too much and detract from my order.
[11] But where any new societies would be formed for earthly entertainment purposes, then I only say: They will not exist too long under whatever statutes. For I stand before the door and am overloaded with all kinds of statutes for such societies and will send an angel before Me who will announce My coming and clean the earth with his sharp sickle from the weeds which have always been an obstacle to the free growth of My wheat.
[12] And this angel will also have a great censer, and with it, he will make a terrible smoke over the whole earth, so that all the plagues on it will perish in the smoke. But understand what is meant by the "sickle" and the "censer"! Namely, those who do not have wisdom should know that the sickle means the "sword" and the censer, the "sharp artillery".
[13] See, with such statutes I will visit the world with it’s entertaining societies and of many other evils that have arisen from them immediately and without delay. However, My angel with the sickle and the censer is to spare the houses of those who have anointed their house door posts with the word of My love and My mercy. Because My word is a great favor for him who receives it, and is good anointing oil for the posts of the door. The angel will try at the door to see if it creaks at the post. Where it will creak, the angel will tear the house down to the ground. But since it opens gently, the house will be spared, for this reason:
[14] For when I come, I will come like a thief and quietly creep into the house. Therefore all posts must be well greased. Because where the door creaks, there I do not go in. But the heart is the door! If it is full of anxiety, impatience, fear and grumbling, unfaithfulness, ambivalence and such other vices that will inevitably have to reveal themselves to Me at My arrival – listen, the "thief" will immediately leave and not enter through such a neglected door! And still less will he ever return as the great statute-bearer of eternal life!
[15] For truly, wherever any human is, he is not alone, but a whole society is with him. And there it needs most of all a main lawgiver, so that the society becomes one among itself and this is life out of and in Me. But if some society or a man hovers in constant fear between Me and the world, I will quite gladly grant them their worldly peace and withdraw with My statutes of eternal life. And then societies of worldly entertainment may be formed again. But I will never be the disturber of peace and will not come back before My angel with the sickle and the censer has appeared! This says I who stand before the door. Amen!
Footnotes (*1) Statutes: Articles of Incorporation (d.Hsg.)